Sopa de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Name: Sopa de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef; 1 pound ground pork; 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice; 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil; 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut on an angle into 1/2-inch slices; 3 medium celery stalks, peeled and cut on an angle into 1/2-inch slices; 1 large red potato, cut into 1-inch cubes; Kosher salt and black pepper; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 bay leaves; 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 8 cups chicken stock (2 quarts); 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce; Crumbled queso fresco, panela or cotija; 2 avocados, halved lengthwise, pitted and thinly sliced crosswise or diced; Mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced into rounds; Serrano and habanero chiles, very thinly sliced; Small fresh cilantro sprigs or chopped fresh cilantro; Lime wedges, for squeezing

Recipe from Wesley Avila

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Published Jan. 29, 2023

Sopa de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup) — Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Total Time: 1½ hours
Rating: 4(975)
Comments: Read comments

Ask 10 people for a recipe for a particular dish, and you’ll probably get 10 different recipes. Mexican sopa de albóndigas is no exception. Most variations are likely to involve vegetables, rice, a tomato-based broth and, inevitably, meatballs. Wesley Avila, the chef of Guerrilla Tacos in Los Angeles, learned this recipe from his mother, who learned it from her grandmother. His meatballs are hefty in size but light in density, and follow his family’s tradition of adding uncooked white rice to the pork-beef mixture before shaping it into balls and cooking: “My mom always told me that when the rice is done, the soup is ready,” Mr. Avila said. “She used it almost as a timer.” The toppings — piled on as you would atop chili — skew cheffy, but they are entirely optional. —Alexa Weibel

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

For the Meatballs

2pounds ground beef
1pound ground pork
½cup uncooked long-grain rice
⅓cup chopped fresh mint
3garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1½teaspoons black pepper

For the Soup

2tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1medium yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)
4medium carrots, peeled and cut on an angle into ½-inch slices
3medium celery stalks, peeled and cut on an angle into ½-inch slices
1large red potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and black pepper
3tablespoons tomato paste
3garlic cloves, minced
2bay leaves
2teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2teaspoons ground cumin
8cups chicken stock (2 quarts)
1(8-ounce) can tomato sauce

For Garnish (optional)

Crumbled queso fresco, panela or cotija
2avocados, halved lengthwise, pitted and thinly sliced crosswise or diced
Mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced into rounds
Serrano and habanero chiles, very thinly sliced
Small fresh cilantro sprigs or chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges, for squeezing

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently mix until well combined. Pinch off 2-ounce portions and gently roll between your palms to form golf ball-size rounds, transferring rounds to a sheet pan. (You should have about 28 meatballs.)
Step 2
In large pot, combine the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and potato; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and cumin, and cook over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant and tomato paste starts to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer over high.
Step 3
Once the stock begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the meatballs, one by one, distributing them evenly in the pot until they’re all submerged. If necessary, reduce the heat to reach a low simmer (this will keep the meatballs tender), and cook until the meatballs and rice are cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Resist the urge to stir for the first 20 minutes, otherwise you risk breaking the meatballs apart before they’ve firmed up.) Skim any impurities from the surface as the soup simmers.
Step 4
Season to taste with salt. Divide the soup among bowls, about 4 or 5 meatballs per portion, and set out bowls of whatever garnishes you like.

Ratings

4 out of 5

975 user ratings

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Comments

Gil Narro Garcia5 years ago

My Mom’s albóndigas we’re ethereal. Combined with frijoles a la charra, avocado slices and corn tortillas and you were in heaven. One key is the tomato base sauce—-it needs to simmer at least 30-45 minutes. Then add the albóndigas. Best to repent now because you won’t get them in any place but heaven.

ana5 years ago

In Guadalajara people chop a green zucchini in tiny pieces, and mix it along the mint, one egg, rice, and meat, and add water not chicken stock, the meat makes a great broth.

Alisa5 years ago

I'm always looking for a vegetarian spin on delicious recipes. This one works well with gardein meatless meatballs and vegetable stock, or if you can find it, no chicken base by better than bouillon. The veggie meatballs need less time: only 15-20 minutes, instead of 40 like the original recipe suggests. I find it's enough to have the rice cook through as well, so the soup is done quicker.

JKNYCBK3 months ago

I used leftover cooked rice, otherwise followed to the letter and it was wonderful.

Ewa4 months ago

Ok, hear me out. 1lb ground beef, 1lb ground pork, 1lb ground lamb. With mint, it was spectacular. I also used short grain rice and had no problem getting it cooked in 40 min.

Meinmunich4 months ago

No pork, just with beef and was satisfied. Doubled the broth because we have cold and wanted more hot broth.

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